Gas-distributing system.



Patented May I3, |902.

M. TLTZ & A. LIPSCHUTZ.

GAS DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

(Application led Jan. 12, 1901.)

(No Mode'l.)

THF. Nonms PETERS c miran STATES Armar OFFICE.

MAX TOLTZ AND ARTHUR LIPSOHUTZ, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, SAID LIPSOHUTZ ASSIGNOR TO SAID TOLTZ.

GAS-DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 699,725, dated May 13, 1902. Application led January 12, 190i. Serial No. 43,030. (No model.)

.To a/ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that we, MAX TOLTZ and AR- THUR LIPSOHUTZ, of St. Paul, Ramsey county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Lighting Systems, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to provide efficient and complete means for the safe storage and distribution of acetylene gas for lighting purposes; and a particular object of our invention is to accomplish the compression,storage,and distribution of acetylene gas, with means that will insure absolute safety in the employment thereof.

One particular danger arising from the use of acetylene gas grows out of the fact that when any portion of a body of confined and compressed acetylene gas is heated to about 1,452o Fahrenheit the gas dissociates, which physical change is imparted to the whole body of gas, resulting in explosions of a serious character. On the other hand, if dissociation can be localized by providing for a free outlet of gas from any pipe or reservoir at the heated point explosion will be avoided. The safe and successful use of acetylene gas for lighting purposes is dependent not merely upon the production of pure gas, but is dependent mainly upon the character of the means employed in thedistribution of the gas.

The particular object of our invention is therefore to provide a complete system of gasdistribution which shall include only such means as are absolutely safe.

To this end our inventionconsists in the combination, preferably, with generating and compressing means for acetylene gas, of a` storage-tank with a service-tank and suitable gas-piping or other connections which are fusible at a low temperature or are provided explosion.

structions and in combinations of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Our invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accom panyng drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional view of an apparatus illustrating the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional View of a fusible pipe-section employed in our system; and Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in section, of the fusible valve for the storage-tank.

The success of any acetylene-gas system depends to a great extent upon the means employed for the generation, drying, storage, and compression of the gas preparatory to use. As there are numerous appliances that may be employed for the preparation of the gas, we have not illustrated such portions of the complete system. The illustration begins with the low-pressure supply-tank 50, wherefrom the gas under pressure of several atmospheres is conducted by a pipe 5i to a gas-compressor 52, whereby the gas is further compressed and from which it is discharged into the high-pressure storage-tank 53. The compressor 52 is water-jacketed throughout, and by this and through cooling means the gas is kept at a low temperature during its compression, whereby polymerization of the gas is avoided. In practice the gas temperature at the discharge of the compressor is very little, if any, higher than the temperature of the cool water employed in the jackets of the compressor. Suitable gages are employed at different points between the compresser and the storage-tanks, and there are also suitable regulating-valves. (Not shown 1in the drawings.)

The high-pressure tank 53 is provided with a safety-valve 54 in itsend, and this vend is alone exposec`zl--that,is,` the tank is inclosed in brickwork e'xceptl for the end which containsthe safety-valve.` Inevent of re or greatheat in close proximity to the tank 53`the valve 5a has a fusible portion, preferably the valve-disk O,which will melt Vat a comparatively low temperature andrelease the gas in the tank 53, and thus prevent an` If the gas be thus permitted to 'escape through the valve 54 or through any other channel, an explosion cannot occur even if the escaping gas iguites at the valve or vent opening.

l 55 represents the service-pipe, extending from the high-pressure tank 53 to a distributing-valve 56, that is provided some distance from the gas plant. From this valve 56 the gas is conducted to a service-tank 57, a ilexible connection or hose 58 being preferably employed between the valve 56 and the tankvalve 57 of the service-tank 57.

58' is a reducing or regulating valve associated with the tank 57 and from this valve the gas is conducted to the distributing or burner pipes 59, which supply the gas lamps or burners 61.

The tank 57 is provided with soft-solder seams 62, which will quickly open in case of fire, and in addition to this precaution against explosions we provide a fusible pipe or pipes 63 between the tank 57 and the regulatingvalve 58 and also, if desired, between said regulating valve and the burners. It is, however, unnecessary to employ a fusible pipe between the regulating-valve and the burners, as the pressure in the burner-pipes is at all times so low that an explosion of the gas therein would be impossible, even though said burner-pipes should be heated to a high degree,it being a Well-known fact that the detrimental and dangerous results of dissociation occur only when acetylene gas is coniined at pressure exceeding two atmospheres. The dangerous portion of the apparatus in this regard consists of the parts between the regulating-valve 58 and the low-pressure tank 50, and we render these parts of the apparatus entirely safe by the introduction of` one or more fusible pipe-sections 64 in the various pipes which join the members of the apparatus or system. Thus a fusible section 64 is always employed at the end of the service-pipe 55 and in connection with the filling pot or valve 56. Like sections 64, fusible at a low temperature, are introduced between the storage-tank 53 and the pipes and the tank and compressor 52 connected thereto.

Our system is particularly adapted for the lighting of railway-trains. The valve 56 may be a filling-pot in the railroad-yard, located near the track and from which the servicev tanks of the railway-coaches may be filled.

ing connected with the various street or house systems. Owing to the introduction of numerous safety-pipe sections wherever the service-pipes are exposed, this system is absolutely safe so far as explosions are concerned. A fire occurring anywhere in a territory supplied with gas would be entirely local in character, owing to gas relief at some safety-section, and would not be communicated either to other iocalities or back to the local-service tank 57 or to the main high-pressure tank at the plant.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The herein-described system comprising a source of compressed acetylene gas, in combination with a service pipe or main, a distributing-valve, and said pipe or main containing a fusible pipe-section, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The herein-described system comprising a source of compressed acetylene gas, in combination with a service pipe or main, a distributing-valve, and a fusible pipe whereby said main and valve are connected, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described system comprising a source of compressed acetylene gas, in combination with a service pipe or main, a fusible pipe-section interposed between said source and said main, and a safety gas-distributing pipe provided at a remote point on said main, substantially as described.

4. The herein-described system comprising a source of compressed acetylene gas, in combination with a service pipe or main, a servicetank, a regulating-valve provided in connection therewith, and a fusible section interposed in said main in proximity to said service-tank, substantially as described.

5. The herein-described system comprising a source of compressed acetylene gas, in combination with a storage-tank, a service pipe or main leading therefrom, a distributingvalve, and a fusible pipe-section interposed between said main and said valve, substantially as described.

6. The herein-described system comprising a source of compressed acetylene gas, in combination with a storage-tank, a service pipe or main leading therefrom, a distributingvalve, a fusible pipe-section interposed between said main and said valve, a servicetank supplied with gas from said distributing-valve, a regulating-valve, and a fusible pipe interposed between said service-tank and said regulating-valve, substantially as described.

7. The herein-described system comprising a source of compressed acetylene gas, in combination with a storage -tank 53 insulated against heat and provided with a fusible valve, a service-pipe leading from said tank to a point of gas distribution and containing a fusible section at such point, as and for the purpose specified.

S. The herein-described system comprising IOO IIO

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 7th day of December, 1900. 1o

MAX TOLTZ.

a source of compressed acetylene gas, in coinbination with a storage-tank, a fusible pipe connection between said source and said tank, a service pipe or main leading from said tank, v n A a distributing-Valve remotely situated, and a ARTHUR LIPSCH UTZ' fusible pipe-section whereby said main and In presence ofvalve are connected, substantially as de- J OS. FRIEDMAN,

scribed. W. E. BARNAOLE. 

